


day 7: trust/love

by liddie



Series: shance fluff week 2k18 [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, Fluff, Luro, M/M, and you know, fall in love with Lance, in this AU Kuro is a failed clone, liddie writes horrible battle scenes, so he's had some time to adjust, that they found on an hastily abandoned galra prison ship, this part takes place about 6 months after they picked him up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 03:50:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14887070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liddie/pseuds/liddie
Summary: for the shancefluffweek prompt Trust/Love - Lance stumbles out of the healing pod to find the Galra attacking and the team unable to form Voltron without the Blue Lion. He's in no shape to fly himself but that doesn't mean he's out of options.





	day 7: trust/love

**Author's Note:**

> Here is some AU backstory: this AU is a version of the 'classic' luro stories where the team finds failed clone Kuro and Lance makes the (rash?) decision to drag him along back to the castle. And there are some trust issues and Kuro learning to be around people, some tension and fights as well as some heart-to-hearts and tears.  
> But basically it's about Lance knowing there is good in everyone and understanding that Kuro didn't ask/choose to be made as a clone and even though he is, he should get to live his own life and be his own person. And of course he and Lance fall in love along the way ;)
> 
> also: a big thank you to Lina for listening to me babble about this AU and reading it over! danke ♥

* * *

 

The room spins as Lance takes his first step, one hand on the lip of the healing pod and his other arm thrown out for some semblance of balance. There's a small light blinking on the side of the pod and the panel beside it offers a jumble of informative Altean script Lance couldn't even begin to understand even if he didn't feel so lightheaded.

“Hey, careful.” A cool hand catches his own, another settling on the small of his back as he steps out of the pod completely.

“Kuro?” Lance sways, rubbing a hand across his face. “What happened?” His head feels like it's full of cotton.

“You were injured.” Leading Lance over to one of the benches against the wall Kuro guides him down to sit. He crouches down in front of Lance and brushes the hair out of his face with a sweep of his fingers. “How are you feeling?”

Lance reaches down to pat his side and makes a face. “Sore, but there's no pain.” Kuro's hand ghosts over Lance's, fingers carefully prodding a few spots along the white pod suit. Just over an hour ago Lance's ribs were cracked and his arm broken. Lance takes Kuro's hand and squeezes it. “I'm fine.”

Kuro frowns and straightens up. “That's what you said right before you collapsed. I thought Hunk was going to have a panic attack.”

“Really, I'm fi _—_ ”

The castle ship rocks violently and Lance pitches forward, a strong forearm bracing against his chest before he can fall onto the ground. Clinging to Kuro's arm Lance looks up at him, suddenly alert. “What the _quiznak_ was that?”

“Oh, right. So the Galra showed up and we're under attack. They're attacking the castle with some kind of new weapon so Allura hasn't been able to get to Blue. The others are holding them off as best they can.”

“How long has this been going on?” Lance pushes Kuro's arm away and gets to his feet. “I've got to...” He wobbles a step and his vision suddenly doubles but Kuro is there in an instant, sliding an arm around Lance's middle for support. Lance leans into his side and blinks a few times to clear his vision.

“You've got to sit here and wait the after effects of the pod out, it won't do anyone any good if you try and push yourself. You're in no shape to go out there right now and you know it.” Another smaller explosion rocks the ship and they both look toward the door. “They'll be fine,” Kuro insists.

They both know it's a lie.

Turning to face the taller man Lance tilts his chin back. “Kuro,” he begins. “You have to help them.”

“How?”

Lance grabs Kuro's black t-shirt. “You know how. Go to the _—_ ”

Kuro shakes his head. His Altean prosthetic closes over Lance's hand. “I can't, Lance. I'm not...it won't work. I _can't_.” Something haunts Kuro's expression, something Lance used to see a lot when Kuro first joined them all those months ago. 

So he nods and leans in to rest his head on Kuro's chest, listening to the heart that beats beneath scar tissue and muscle. After a moment longer Lance steps back and straightens up, giving Kuro's hand a squeeze before letting go. Turning to the bench he grabs his jacket and slides it on over the white pod suit, fixing the collar and hood before taking a deep breath and turning toward the door.

“Where are you going?”

Lance pauses, then looks over his shoulder to give Kuro a smile. “I've got to help them,” he murmurs, stepping out into the hallway. “I've got to at least try.”

Kuro watches the door close after him.

 

* * *

 

“We're taking heavy fire, I won't be able to hold the shields up forever,” Allura says to Coran, hands hovering over the controls of the castle as she turns back to the task at hand. “Shiro, how are things on your end?”

The slur of static clears and Shiro's voice comes through the comm-link a few seconds later. _“There are more fighters than we expected. Team, stay on your guard. They're protecting something important.”_

A warning comes in a sharp voice. _“Hunk, on your left!”_

The Yellow Lion swerves up, then crashes down on the fighter that was sneaking up on it. _“Gah, thanks Keith!”_

Allura slides a digital panel to the left and pulls up a blueprint of the old Galra base sitting in front of them. There are a few heat signatures onboard, most of them clustered in the spot on the side where a huge gash has ripped the ship open. “I'm picking up a strange energy signature on the third level and it's almost completely unprotected. The damage must be worse than they thought.”

The Green Lion swerves around one fighter and smashes another with its tail. _“I need to get in closer to get a reading on it.”_

“ _You need to do_ what _? Why would you want to get closer to that floating death fortress?”_

“ _Hunk, this is no time to panic.”_

“ _This is the perfect time to panic!”_ The Yellow Lion crashes into a fighter aiming for Keith and does a roll. _“We're already down one pilot, we don't need to lose Pidge too!”_

Pidge's annoyance comes through the coms as clear as day. _“Geez, glad to know you have a little faith, Hunk!”_

“ _Guys, enough! Arguing isn't going to help anyone.”_ Shiro loops the Black Lion around toward Hunk. _“Coran, how's Lance?”_

Coran hums up after pressing a few buttons. “Still out of commission, I'm afraid. But as soon as he gets out he'll be fit as a Ganderzog.” 

“ _But will he be in any condition to fly?”_ Keith dodges a beam and zips between fighters, smashing them with Red's tail as he goes. _“The pod is known to make him drowsy.”_

“This battle will be over by the time he's out and able to fly,” Allura grits out as the castle shield is hit again. The flashing warning on the screen to the right shows the extent of the damage. “I'm going to have to leave the castle to Coran and take the Blue Lion.”

“But Princess, without you the castle will be a sitting duck!”

“ _Excellent usage, Coran.”_

Coran uses two fingers to curl his mustache with a pleased smile. “Why thank you, Number Five.”

“ _Shit, look out!”_

An explosion to the left causes Hunk to shriek over the coms and soon everyone is shouting over each other. Hunk's 'this is bad, this is so bad' does little to help morale and Pidge lets out a grunt as she's flung to the side.

“ _Someone cover me, I need to get closer to that hole in the side of the ship!”_

“ _No, wait! Pidge, look out!”_

A fighter is set up to launch an attack but never gets the chance to do it. A streak of blue plows into the Galra ship and it explodes, the Blue Lion rocketing out of the debris.

Hunk's shout comes first. _“LANCE! Buddy, am I glad to see you!”_

“ _Thanks, Lance!”_

“ _What a showoff,”_ Keith laughs.

Allura frowns when something moves out of the corner of her eye.

Lance goes stumbling by, still wearing the pod suit with his jacket thrown on over it. He presses his hands against the cool glass facing the battle and watches with wide eyes. The Blue Lion swipes heavy claws through another fighter and Lance bangs a fist against the glass when a laser from Blue's tail takes out two more Galra ships. “Yes!!” He shouts excitedly. “I knew you could do it!”

The coms go silent for a single second before Pidge's voice comes through. _“Wait, was that Lance?”_

“ _What's going on?”_

Hunk's voice is near hysterical. _“Who's flying Blue?!”_

A brief beat of silence follows the question and then... _“How do I turn the volume on this helmet down?”_

“ _Holy shit, is that Kuro?”_

“ _Wait, seriously?”_

“ _Don't sound so surprised,”_ Kuro's voice rumbles over the link as he flies the Blue Lion toward Keith and Hunk. _“She's barely tolerating me and only on Lance's insistence.”_

Lance grins, face pressed against the glass. “Don't lie. You know she likes you, too!”

“ _This is a great development and all,”_ Pidge interrupts as more explosions rock the ships and Lions. _“But can someone cover me for like five minutes while I check this energy out and then we can get the he—”_

“ _Language, Pidge!”_

“— _ck out of here?”_

Allura slides a panel up and zooms in. “They're still distracted on the ship.” Her gaze flicks up to watch the Blue Lion.

Shiro summons the jawblade. _“Pidge, you and Keith get as close as you can without getting drawn in. Hunk, Kuro and I will keep the Galra occupied.”_

“ _Oh great,”_ Hunk groans as he directs the Yellow Lion toward one of the Galra ships. 

Kuro laughs over the link, the Blue Lion shooting forward to engage another fighter while the Black Lion cuts through a line of ships. 

When his legs refuse to hold him up any longer Lance slides down to sit on the floor, never taking his eyes off the Lions zipping around. Allura keeps the communication link open so they can hear everything and Lance can't help but laugh when Kuro and Hunk spiral toward one of the larger fighters and Hunk makes a comment about being sick. 

Sliding her hand along one of the buttons Allura mutes the com on their end. “Mind telling me what this is all about?” She asks without looking away from the battle. 

Lance shrugs, getting to his feet and making his way up to stand beside her, knowing full well what she means. Coran calls out some of the castle's stats and Allura adjusts a few things, screens flashing multiple colorful warnings. 

“I may not have been in any shape to help the team, but Kuro was,” Lance murmurs as he watches Pidge and Keith approach the Galra ship. “If Blue and I trust him enough, I don't see why you can't.” 

“It's not that simple, Lance. You have feelings for him, yes. But Kuro, he's _—”_

“Just as much of a person as anyone else, no matter if I have feelings for him or not,” Lance cuts her off, planting his feet and turning to the Altean princess. “The Galra may have made him but they also tortured and experimented on him, and did who knows what else that he doesn't want to talk about. He has just as much reason to hate them as you do, as Shiro does. Shiro was captured by the Galra too and you still trust him. You trust Keith even though he's part Galra. And yeah, okay, that took a while, but still. Kuro has chosen to help us in any way he can, and he has proven to be on our side over and over again. He's answered every question you've asked him and even helped explain the ship layouts and their routine schedules.” Lance looks out the window as the Lions regrouping. “Kuro's past shouldn't hold him back or define him, not when he's come so far. All I'm asking you is to give him a chance.”

“Lance...” Letting out a soft sigh Allura nods, hands loosening from tight fists. “You're right. And I am getting used to him, I am. But I just need a little more time to sort through things, nothing is easy anymore.”

“I'm not trying to rush you, and no one said it was going to be easy.” Lance places a hand on Allura's shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “Just.. remember that he's trying, too.” He turns back to the scene in front of them and sees a few fighters heading back toward the damaged ship. “Looks like it all worked out, though.”

Allura disables the mute function when they hear Shiro ordering everyone to return to the castle. Pidge is babbling a mile a minute about the energy readings and Lance grins when he hears Kuro's heavy breathing and occasional scoff over the link. Allura says something about opening a wormhole and Hunk makes the comment about maybe taking a tiny break after all this. Uncharacteristically, Keith hums his agreement.

“I'm gonna go meet them in the hangar,” Lance says to Allura and Coran.

Stepping up beside them Coran offers an arm in a gentlemanly way. “Need some help down there, Number Three?”

Lance waves him off, stretching an arm out in front of himself. It feels a little stiff but at least it's not broken anymore, and it doesn't feel like the bruising on his side is still there. “Thanks, Coran. But I think I can make it.”

“Right then, I'll go check on the level of damage to the engines.”

Stepping up to the door Lance waits for it to whoosh open so he can make his way to the hanger.

 

* * *

 

“And then the Galra were like ' _bzzzzzzz_ ,' firing their lasers but Kuro was all 'haha, not today' and tore through the ships like they were toys!”

Shiro smiles, taking off his helmet and pushing his hair back. “He's got a knack for flying, that's for sure. A lot like Keith, actually.”

Pidge jumps down from her Lion already carrying her tablet, the glow of it reflecting off her glasses. “He's pretty reckless, too,” she mumbles, plopping down on the ground beside Shiro to read over the data.

“His flying is better than Lance's first time,” Keith jokes as he walks up to them, standing beside Shiro.

Looking up from her screen Pidge frowns. “Where is he, anyway?”

Hunk and Shiro turn toward the Blue Lion. “He hasn't come out yet.”

“Maybe he got hurt?” Hunk frowns, looking down at himself. They're all a little beaten up but nothing too bad. “But he would have said something, right?”

Shiro tilts his head. “Knowing Kuro, probably not.”

“I heard that, you know.” In the process of removing his helmet Kuro leaves the shadow of the Blue Lion and walks over to them. He turns to glance over his shoulder. “Blue likes to talk.”

“Like Paladin, like Lion,” Keith grins.

The door to the hanger _wooshes_ open and Lance steps through, trying to make leaning heavily against the wall for support seem casual when he notices everyone out of their Lions already. Smiling brightly he pushes off from the doorway and makes his way over. “You guys are back already! I swear the castle's hallways changed on me so it took me twice as long to get here. I was gonna be here to greet you and everything!”

“Lance.” Kuro places a hand on his hip, annoyed. “I had one condition for you, just one. And you couldn't manage it?”

“How could I stay in the medbay to 'rest' when I knew you guys were coming back from the battle? A battle that you won! I saw those Galra ships retreat, they were totally afraid of you guys!” Lance smiles and waves his hands around, gesturing to himself. “I'm completely fine! My side doesn't hurt at all!”

“Except you _do_ kinda look worn out,” Hunk pipes up helpfully. Shiro and Pidge nod in agreement.

“You gave us a scare earlier when you fainted.” Keith grins when Lance sputters.

“Fainted?!” Lance gasps and grabs at his heart comically. “I did _not_ faint! Hunk, stop laughing! I've been betrayed!”

Hunk shakes his head fondly at Lance's theatrics, still chuckling. “Good to see you back on your feet, buddy.”

Kuro walks over to Lance, standing toe to toe with him while Pidge turns to ask Hunk about something and Shiro steps to the side to question Keith on what he saw on the Galra ship. Without a word Lance takes the helmet and spreads his fingers over the smooth surface, smiling up at Kuro. “I told you you could do it,” he says teasingly, tone reflecting his good mood. He hands the helmet to Hunk when he offers to take it. “You saved the day.”

It used to be hard to tell when Kuro rolled his golden eyes but now Lance can spot the motion of his eyebrows shifting up as clear as day. “I wouldn't go that far.”

“Say what you want, Blue Paladin.” Lance flicks his gaze over Kuro's shoulder at Blue, her purr like a rolling wave in his mind. He smiles easily. “She'll have you any day.”

“ _Substitute_ Blue Paladin,” Kuro corrects. “I hope I don't need to pilot her again.” Tilting his chin Kuro glances at Lance's side and his covered arm. “I'd rather not see you get hurt again.”

Lance leans up and kisses the old scar at the corner of Kuro's eye. “I'm not going anywhere,” he murmurs quietly, just for the two of them. There could be galaxies between them and they'd only see each other. Lifting his arms Lance wraps one loosely around Kuro's neck, the other resting over the smooth armor covering his shoulder. Lance drums his fingers idly against the back of Kuro's shoulder blade. “And neither are you.”

“I'll hold you to that.” Kuro leans in for a kiss, closing his eyes and carding his fingers through the hair at the back of Lance's head in a soft touch.

Someone whistles obnoxiously and Kuro lifts his middle finger up without breaking the kiss. Pidge cackles behind them and Lance smiles against soft lips.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This fantastic commission was done by [ifellfromtheskies](http://ifellfromtheskies.tumblr.com/) and you can reblog & show some love for it [HERE!](https://ifellfromtheskies.tumblr.com/post/174764346129/commission-for-kuroshiroganee-for-their)


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